


Keeping Touch

by malaguenas



Category: 19th Century CE RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, I'm sure that there might be more people later tbh, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 22:23:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6584965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malaguenas/pseuds/malaguenas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You know, you spend a fair amount of time in a war with someone and sometimes things happen. Then of course 2 years later, a letter comes. Of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Touch

_Mr. Clay,_  


_I hope you’re doing well, that the war hasn’t drawn down too much on your soul, even in the aftermath. I’m sorry it took me so long to write, but it wasn’t until recently that I felt it—there was an emptiness that I haven’t been able to shake since the war._  
But it’s not important.  
It’s been 2 years already—God knows you’ve probably met a wonderful woman by now. That’s what boys do when they leave the war as men, right?  
Anyways, whatever the case, I look forward to hearing from you. 

_Yours,_

_John C._

“Mr. Clay? Am I an old man now?” Henry huffed as he paced his apartment, paper in hand. A letter in the 21th century was rare, if anything, and to add to it all, it came out of nowhere honestly, the days Henry and John spent in the war were becoming more and more distant as the days drew on, but all within a second of seeing that letter, their time together came crashing down on him, so much so that he almost tripped in the threshold of his own place.  
John Caldwell Calhoun. Damn, did that name bring back memories.  
The first day of training is when they met. They were placed in all the same groups, in the same living quarters (guess he should be thankful for the fact their last names started with C).  
“Are you sure you showed up to the right war?” That was the first thing John ever said to Henry. He said it completely straight faced, his eyes serious and focused.  
“This _is_ the Afghanistan war, right?” Henry had full out beamed at John, expecting a returned smile or _something_ , but that’s not how John was. He was hard to crack, someone who probably needed to get the stick out of his ass, but _God_ there was something about him that just made them click, right from square one.  
Henry grunted. “Two years, huh?” He set down the letter, noting the way that John crossed his t’s almost through the whole word. He didn’t remember ever seeing John’s handwriting before. Honestly, it was beautiful. There was a certain grace about it.  
Henry sighed and leaned back in his chair. 

_John!_

_Honestly I wish you could have seen the look on my face when I read your letter! Gosh it’s been so long, but of course, better late than never! I’m doing pretty well after all these years! And you? I hope you’ve been smiling more! That scowl makes you look older. But all joking aside, not too much has changed. I’m still single, if that makes any difference. And you? You ever find a girl with your lack of humor? Also: I hope you’ve found yourself a good job. Tell me everything._

_With Affection,_

_Henry_

It felt like ages until the next letter. Henry had let the worry start to get to him only a couple days after he sent it. _What if it got lost in the mail? What if he was too forward?_ God knows what had changed since.  
But the anxiety didn’t last too long—only a couple weeks, really—and Henry had practically forgot about it all. Life went on, he worked his normal days as an editor in a small publishing company, swarmed by piles of drafts from aspiring authors.  
He was in the middle of a first timer’s piece, something undoubtedly amateur, if the typo in the first sentence had anything to do with it. He should have scraped it at that point, but there was something else at work that was encapsulating about the piece. The energy throughout was pulsing, the characters were so _alive_. The—  
Two hands dropped themselves on the back of his chair, making Henry jump. He whipped around.  
“Oh shit, I didn’t mean to scare you!” It was his coworker and friend Daniel Webster. Henry broke out into a smile.  
“No worries.”  
“Good, good,” Daniel’s eyes dropped to the story in Henry’s hands. “Is that any good?”  
“Surprisingly, but there’s some issues. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to publish it because of that, but maybe—,“  
Daniel laughed. “You always try this. You know, those authors should be thankful that they have someone as willing to compromise as you reading their stories.”  
Henry shrugged. “What can I say?”  
Daniel took a seat, shaking his head. “Have you ever thought about maybe being a bit less forgiving with this stuff?”  
Henry shook his head, laughing. “Trust me, it’s not in my character.”  
Daniel put up his hands, joining in with the laughter. “Fair enough, man. So anything exciting going on beyond all this?”  
Henry looked down for a second, letting a silence settle down between them. “I got a letter from John yesterday.”  
Daniel raised his eyebrows. “Mr. dark and handsome war buddy John?”  
Henry nodded. “Yeah. Practically out of nowhere! I barely know what to make of it!”  
“What did he say?”  
“Nothing major. The basic “how are you?” “you got a girlfriend?” kind of thing.”  
Daniel looked up at him, sympathetically almost. “Is he?”  
Henry huffed. “Married? I don’t know. He hasn’t responded yet. I asked but I don’t know, maybe I was being too forward? So much has changed since then God knows if—,“ He let his words trail off.  
Daniel raised his eyebrows and put a hand on Henry’s arm. “It’ll be okay. He’ll answer in time.” He stood up. “And whatever he says, you can talk to me.”  
Henry nodded and smiled. “Thanks Daniel.”

_Dear Henry,_

_Sorry about the delay in my writing. Things here have been chaotic at the very least. As for your questions: I haven’t met anyone. It honestly hasn’t been a priority to me; there seem to be better things to focus on. My work has been doing me well, honestly. And more than all of that, I’m happy to hear you’re doing well. Are you still in Kentucky? I’ll be making my way out there in a couple weeks actually, if you’d like to get coffee. I miss you Henry._

_Yours,_

_John_


End file.
